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Work Overview
The Ten Bagatelles draw their inspiration from Robert Schumann's much beloved
Kinderszenen Op. 15 (1838). The Australian musicologist, Peter McCallum, when writing
about Schumann's miniatures proposed that Schumann's 13 movements chronicle a 24-hour
period of an imaginary child's life1. In Kinderszenen, the child's day is filled with lessons,
games, and stories. The cycle ends when the child falls asleep by the fire and is then observed
by a poet, (possibly Schumann himself) who asks us to imagine what the child may grow to
become as an adult.
As a composer, mother, and teacher, I am lucky share my adult life with many children. In composing this collection of Bagatelles, I sought to capture scenes from a typical weekend I would spend with my family. The opening movement 'Fluttering Hearts' depicts a sleeping child. This gives way to an aubade 'Footsteps Down the Hall' (II.), as the child wakes and then seeks to wake their rather fatigued parent/s. In the third Bagatelle, 'At Ballet' (III.), we enter the world of the Saturday morning ballet studio with its routine of plies and stretches, after which, the children leave the structure of class for the playground 'Imitations' (IV.). 'Caprice' (V.) ridicules a short-lived tantrum, before 'Summer Holiday' (VI.) reminds us of the joy of waking after a considerable car trip to have finally arrived at a longed-for destination. 'Sea Cucumbers' (VII.) captures the childhood fascination with marine animalia - of which Sydney is rich in its diversity. The sun sets, and a striking red moon rises above the water in Bagatelle VIII., after which, a campfire is lit and the children expend their final reserves of energy in IX. 'Fire Dance'. The collection ends with an incomplete 'Berceuse' (X.) The day draws to a close, and we all retreat from the conscious world to the world of dreams.
Work Details
Year: 2026
Instrumentation: Piano.
Duration: 13 min.
Difficulty: Medium
Commission note: Commissioned by Musica Viva Australia.
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